Komets add Kwiet, Walrod

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Fort Wayne Komets announced Tuesday that defenseman Rob Kwiet and rookie forward Kevin Walrod have agreed to terms and have been added to the Fort Wayne preseason roster.

Kwiet, 24, will be joining the Komets for his fifth pro season since turning pro when he appeared in seven regular season games and four playoff games with the Muskegon Fury in the IHL during 2007-08. Kwiet skated four years of juniors in the OHL and helped the Windsor Spitfires to the OHL 2008-09 regular season championship scoring a team high +54 in 2008-09 before scoring five goals and 15 points in 20 playoff games en route to the 2009 OHL Robertson Cup Championship. Since completing his junior play the Toronto native has skated a total of 42 AHL games and 197 ECHL games over a span of four seasons.

Kwiet posted a career best eight goals, 22 assists and ranked second in scoring by Reading defensemen with 30 points while serving on the Royals’ blue line 56 games during 2010-11. Last season he led San Francisco Bulls’ defensemen with 19 assists and 27 points in 50 games and ranked fifth among ECHL defensemen with his total of 37 points in stints with the Bulls and Greenville.

Walrod, 24, completed four seasons with Michigan State last year. The forward ranked fourth in the Spartans’ lineup with 11 assists and fifth with 15 points in 34 games last season for a college career best year. Also, Walrod made his pro debut with Bakersfield in the ECHL appearing in four games.